“So, what, you’re like ashamed of me?”
The party was long over. Raima Reason had been a smash, garnering wild applause and eventually acquiescing to an encore, during which Hortensia O’Brien had taken her tiptoed leave. Raima had lingered by popular demand, to chat with admirers and new fans. Danny dug for the courage either to claim Ashok or at least ask him to leave, and came up empty, so Raima was the Mystery Lady hit of the evening when most guests said goodnight. Schwartz was among the last to leave, pulling Monica down the hill in his wake, and Danny and Ashok were standing at the island in the kitchen polishing off the last of the Don Julio. Ashok was wearing nothing but full face and a pair of jeans, and Danny was torn between his unquenchable need to lay hands on Ashok’s marble-s
